1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical image processing device for taking and displaying a medical image of an object of interest in a body cavity and a method for operating a medical image processing device.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
In medical fields, diagnoses using endoscope systems have been commonly performed. The endoscope system comprises a light source device, an endoscope, and a processor device. In the endoscope system, an image of the object is displayed on a monitor based on the image signal. The image signal is obtained by taking an image of an object of interest (hereinafter simply referred to as the object), with an image sensor of the endoscope, under illumination light from the endoscope. A doctor examines presence or absence of a lesion while observing the image displayed on the monitor.
It is easy to detect a lesion which differs significantly in shape and size from a normal region, for example, a lesion protruding sharply from a mucosal surface. On the other hand, a lesion which is almost the same in shape and size as the normal region is detected based on a difference in color from that of the normal region. It is extremely difficult to detect a lesion in a case where the lesion has not progressed and the color thereof is almost the same as that of the normal region.
In Japanese Patent No. 3228627, a difference in color between a normal region and a lesion is made distinct or apparent by replacing a value of a blood volume (hemoglobin index) of the lesion, which is deviated from a reference value, with a more deviated value.
In the case where the value deviated from the reference value is replaced with the more deviated value as described in the Japanese Patent No. 3228627, not only a color in a specific color region where the color is to be enhanced but also a color outside the specific color region may be changed. The image with the color outside the specific color region being changed may cause a doctor to fail to diagnose accurately.